Coalition, Special Needs Groups Hash Out Amendments to Work Ability Reform

On Monday, a package of amendments to the worker ability reform bill was handed over by a group of coalition MPs to the Social Affairs Committee.

The amendments are based on input from a number of interest groups and feedback from the Social Democrats, ETV reported.

Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee Heljo Pikhof (Social Democrats) praised the changes, telling ETV: "When the first draft law in the big disability reform reached Parliament, there was very much criticism. It was all very to the point. We have had eight committee meetings over the summer to hear the concerns of people with special needs."

One proposal suggested by the disabled people's lobby and included in the amendments was that cuts in disability allowance above a certain income level could start to kick in at a higher level than in the original draft. Originally, only people who made 641 euros a month before taxes would not full benefits. Now the benefits would be untouched up to an income level of 960 euros, the national average wage.

For the opposition, the deputy chairman of the Social Affairs Committee, Margus Tsahkna (IRL), who has been one of the major detractors of both the original draft law and Monday's amendments, admitted that it was a positive change. But he said other changes were more for show.

"All organizations for people with special needs have been stressing that they currently have a lack of real services, that would help them go to work, to participate in society. The part of reform concerning local government services, disability aids and rehabilitation is still yet to be done and more red tape and burden continues to be created for people with special needs," Tsahkna said.

Pikhof has responded, saying IRL has been nonconstructive and that, unlike the other opposition party, Center, did not put in a single amendment.

Several other new amendments also are significant, such as the separate subsidy for transport to work that would cover costs if the person's needs were not met by public transport, said Minister of Social Affairs Urmas Kruuse.

Another amendment clarifies the process of evaluating a person's capacity for work. In this case, though, Tsahkna said, it gives the disabled a runaround between different systems - not just evaluation of the disability itself but also a person's capacity for work.

"If such a major reform is mounted, it should all be in one place and at one level," Tsahkna said.

Finally, an important change is the fact that the entire reform has been put off by one year, from January 2015 to January 2016.

Direct democracy was possible and even necessary in Estonia, said historian Jaak Valge at the “Is Estonia Ready for Democracy?” conference at the National Library on Saturday. At the same time, the rules Estonia would introduce in connection with votes needed to be thoroughly discussed.

According to European Parliament member Urmas Paet, in addition to established routes through Turkey and Greece, and Libya and Italy, refugees are starting to migrate through Europe via a new path through Russia, which may begin to directly affect not just Norway and Finland, but also neighboring EU states Estonia and Latvia as well.

The decision phase has been reached in the question of merging Kernu, Nissi, and Saue parishes as well the town of Saue. Launched today and lasting until Sunday, a public opinion poll is open to all local residents at least 16 years of age regarding whether or not they support the merger and what they would like to name the newly formed parish.

After Edgar Savisaar was reelected leader of the Center Party last year, the number of its vice-chairpersons increased from two to four. The party’s constitution says Savisaar can appoint one of them to represent him whenever he is inconvenienced. But this might not be legal.

Digital Single Market EU Commissioner and former Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip on Friday criticized the Soldiers of Odin, a self-proclaimed vigilante group whose purported aim is to protect the native population from immigrants by patrolling the streets. Ansip said they were "only one step away from little green men.”

Reacting to criticism expressed in the President’s speech on Wednesday, Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas (Reform) said he wasn't in favor of decision-making by vote in the government, as this would not be fair toward the smaller coalition partners.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves opened his Independence Day speech this year saying that he was afraid the migration crisis might lead to the disintegration of the European Union. Among other things, the President criticized that Estonia had wasted two years quarreling about how grown up people should arrange or should be allowed to arrange their private lives instead of talking about more important issues. Here is the President's speech in full length.

The Estonian government has no plans to open new accommodation units for asylum seekers, the Ministry of Social Affairs said, commenting on the buyer of a former army training base saying he was planning to convert it into a refugee housing facility and a care home.

Hoisting the flag at sunrise, laying of wreaths at the Victory Column, the Independence Day parade, award ceremonies, the grand concert in Estonia Concert Hall, the President's speech and reception: Estonia had a busy day on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry offered congratulations to Estonia on behalf of the President and the citizens of the United States on the occasion of Estonia’s Independence Day. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to President Ilves.

Political commentators agree that the speech of Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas (Reform) in Tartu’s Vanemuine theatre on Tuesday covered everything that could be expected, and didn’t include anything surprising.

The Estonian flag is flown from sunrise to sunset. On the occasion of the 98th anniversary of the republic, several hundred people attended the hoisting of the flag on Pikk Hermann Tower on Toompea on Wednesday morning.

The first festive event of the 98th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia is the hoisting of the Estonian flag at sunrise on Toompea’s Pikk Hermann tower. ETV will broadcast the event live starting 7:30 Wednesday morning.

Sinine Äratus (Blue Awakening), the youth party of EKRE, has cautioned all people planning to attend their torch parade planned for Independence Day tomorrow Wednesday that placards, slogans and symbols not appropriate for the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia are not welcome.

Estonia is being ravaged by an HIV epidemic, and nobody knows just how many people are infected by the virus. Non-governmental organizations that deal with HIV-positive people on a daily basis confirm that Estonia has been pinning its hopes too much on funding from the European Social Fund.

In an interview with Päevaleht, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said that Estonia needed a government that actually governed the country. He also accused the government of being unwilling to take part in a wider debate about the country's tax system.

Ieva Ilves, wife of Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and patron of the Estonian branch of SOS Children's Villages, paid a visit to the local children's village and also gave a class as part of the Back to School Week in Põltsamaa on Friday.

Asked to comment on the fresh party ratings out on Friday, the chairman of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary party said that the opposition resorted to populism to boost its ratings. His counterpart of IRL said a rise in the rating of IRL still lied ahead.

The Supervisory Committee on Party Financing suspects that about €100,000 of the Center Party’s cash reserve represent illegal donations. The committee intends to send an auditor to check the party's finances.